Gunnedah and Boggabri star in new song released for Australia Day

Australian country artists and cousins Anthony Snape and Sam Snape have released their new single Big Love In A Small Town ahead of Anthony’s role as the Australia Day Ambassador for his hometown of Gunnedah.

Written and recorded by the pair, Big Love In A Small Town is a place-based country song that celebrates regional life, family ties, and the quiet strength of small Australian communities. The release coincides with the Tamworth Country Music Festival and will be performed as part of Gunnedah’s Australia Day celebrations.

The single has been added to New In Country, Back Porch Country, and Country Risers on Apple Music.

Although Anthony now lives in Wollongong, his connection to Gunnedah remains central to both the song and his role as Australia Day Ambassador.

“In a small town, friends and family blur together,” Anthony said.

“You don’t really separate the two; you just show up. Those moments don’t feel important when you’re living them, but later on you realise they’re the backbone of everything.”

Big Love In A Small Town was written with real places in mind, with the chorus naming Gunnedah and Boggabri, which are the towns where Anthony and Sam grew up.

“Singing the name of your town out loud is different to singing about a made-up place,” Anthony said.

“It makes you accountable to the people listening. Home isn’t necessarily a place you stay forever; it’s a place that stays with you.”

For Sam, who is based in Boggabri, the song reflects a shared upbringing and the values that come with growing up regionally.

“We didn’t have to invent anything for this song,” Sam said.

“It’s about growing up where everyone knows your family, where you learn early how to back your people, and where you understand that community actually means something.”

Sam said releasing the song alongside Anthony’s Australia Day role felt fitting.

“This song lines up naturally with what Australia Day represents in towns like ours,” he said.

“It’s about recognising the people who make a place what it is, not through big gestures, but by showing up for each other year after year.”

Anthony is looking forward to performing the song in the town it was written about.

“There’s something grounding about saying ‘right here’,” he said.

“The song is about recognising where you already are, and the role places like Gunnedah play in shaping who you become.”